Matters of Life and Kenyo
by Froggeh
Summary: Kotaro has something to tell Sasuke. Yes, it does have a plot. Vaguely. Read and find out. Violence and slashifyouthinkofitthatway.
1. Matters of Life and Kenyo

**Hi there! Froggy here. This'll be the first chapter of my fic! There are several more chapters to come. It does have a plot, honest! xD So... Read and enjoy. If you like a particular pairing, keep it in mind and you'll be bound to find at least some evidence in the story. x3**

**Anyway, enough of me. Read on!**

_Chapter 1_

"Kotaro?"

"Sasuke, look at the stars."

"Kotaro, will you stop for a second?"

"They're twinkling. It's like they're waving to us."

"Kotaro, you sound like Hotaru. Cut the crap and tell me what you dragged me over here to talk about."

Kotaro paused, turning to look back at the boy. So different in appearance, and perhaps in mind. But his eyes were the same as they had always been. The same as his.

He sat on the ground and looked at Sasuke, storing every detail in his mind. Silvery-blue hair, moving in the slight wind that had picked up. Pale, flawless skin. Those fierce amber eyes, staring straight at him; the almost undetectable shivering hum of Shibien, recently become a part of his being.

Sasuke stared at him. After a while, Kotaro looked back to the stars. "So beautiful..." he murmured.

The wind swept around them. A chill ran up Sasuke's spine, and he looked at Kotaro, slightly unnerved and not knowing why. "If you're not going to tell me what you dragged me out here for, I'm gonna go. I slept in a tree last night; I'm tired."

"You always sleep in trees, Sasuke-kun."

"Yes, but when Yukimura decides to climb up with you and keeps falling out, you don't get much slee-"

He stopped suddenly. _Kun? Since when have I been Sasuke-kun to Kotaro?_

Kotaro was looking once again at the stars. "Yes... maybe you should go," he said quietly, almost to himself.

Again, the unnatural chill ran up Sasuke's spine. "Kotaro?"

"Go."

"Kotaro, what -"

Suddenly, the older boy was on his feet. "I said GO!"

Sasuke stepped backwards. There was an aura around Kotaro, and it wasn't his own. "What's happening?" Sasuke watched in horror as Kotaro's skin began to shift and change beneath his eyes. "Kotaro! What's happening?!"

An inhuman roar broke the night's silence, and the boy stared at the monster his friend had become. His jaw had elongated, teeth sharpened; his skin was still changing, shifting shades of green and brown. Vines burst from his wrists and twined around him. As he held his hands palm-forwards towards Sasuke, they snaked forwards, hissing, hungry for the small boy's blood.

"A... K-Kenyo..."

His feet were frozen to the ground. He couldn't move.

"How...? Kotaro... what... Why...?"

Another roar. The birds nesting in a nearby tree woke in alarm and took flight; and Sasuke followed their lead.

Running blindly, dodging trees, hearing what had once been Kotaro crash through the forest behind him. Shibien was shivering in its sheath; if those vines held blood, it wanted every last drop.

Sasuke kept running. Unaware of where he was running to.

No, this path was familiar. He was heading to the clearing where they had camped last night; where Yukimura and Saizo were still sitting with the others.

He increased his pace but felt a vine wrap around his ankle, and crashed to the ground. He kicked hard. It tightened; he let out a cry of pain as a disturbing crack rang out. Pushing Kotaro's face out of his mind, he struggled to his feet - keeping his weight on his uninjured foot - and drew Shibien with a hiss. One of the vines snaking towards him was cut in half, and a deep red liquid sprayed across the ground. The Kenyo let out a scream and Shibien thrummed with pleasure.

The next moment, however, there was a sharp pain in Sasuke's back. He watched, frozen, as a thin vine burst from his front, the detached tendril snaking right through him and back to the Kenyo.

He pressed his hands to his ribs, gasping in pain. Looking up, he saw a thick vine fly at him and knock him sideways into a tree. Stars flew across his vision. When they cleared, someone was standing in front of him, facing the plant.

"Yukimura...?"

Several more figures appeared. Blinking, he identified Saizo, standing beside and slightly behind his master; Benitora, wielding Hokurakushimon; Akira, twin swords drawn, and Hotaru, flames dancing around his fingers.

Unexpectedly, Yukimura turned from the plant, sheathing his blade. He walked towards Sasuke. A thin trail of mist followed him, swirling around Sasuke and Yukimura to obscure them from the plant; Saizo's work.

Yukimura knelt quickly in front of him. "Sasuke, poor child, what happened?" The faint, but familiar smell of sake surrounded him, as usual. He reached forwards and began to quickly and efficiently bandage the wound from the single vine, feeling gently for broken ribs. "You were lucky. Can you stand?"

Sasuke stood. Yukimura put a hand on his shoulder, then turned back and walked through the mist, which curled off to each side and vanished. Sasuke followed, to immediately jump back with a curse as someone was hurled over his head to hit a tree with a crack.

He turned to see Saizo doubled over, a combination of black hair and bandana hiding his face. Yukimura glanced back, then ran at the plant in fury. Several vines were cut off before he was forced back, and Akira ran to take his place. Benitora was preoccupied with the vines which had wrapped around his Hokurakushimon, and one of his arms. Sasuke blinked to see Kyo appear, Yuya and Okuni at his side; immediately, they ran to join the fray. Familiar rounds from Yuya's gun rang out and splashes of red burst into the air.

Sasuke was dancing around the plant like a silhouette, mist trailing him and obscuring the Kenyo's vision again. His blade flashed in and out and several vines hit the floor. Despite this, he was still more preoccupied with dodging the deadly tendrils than attacking; Kotaro's Kenyo was powerful. More powerful than they'd seen before.

This point was proved as a vine hit Kyo in the chest, a ripple going through it before he was blasted back across the clearing made by destroyed trees. Yuya ran to him. "Kyo! KYO!"

His eyes flickered open and she gasped, joined quickly by Okuni. "Kyoshiro?!"

"Y-Yuya-san! I-" His eyes flickered again. "I -" A tremble ran through him, and his eyes flashed back to red. "Kill that bastard..."

Okuni pulled his top aside, staring at the image of a green twining vine just below his left collarbone. "What is that...?"

A high-pitched scream rent the air. A vine had curled around Yuya and lifted her into the air. She struggled, gun lying on the ground below. "Let me go! Let me GO! Let me -"

CRACK.

Everyone turned to stare as a spurt of blood shot from Yuya's mouth. Her eyes widened, then deadened, then were hidden as she fell forwards, middle crushed hopelessly by the vines.

"YUYA-SAN!"

Okuni was barely a foot behind her, having leapt up in an attempt to sever the vine. She shot thin, sharp threads through it, wild with fury, until another vine caught her by the middle. Benitora, still furiously fighting with the vines which had wrapped around him while he stared in disbelief at Yuya's body, had to look away as Okuni suffered the same fate as the blonde. The plant dropped them unceremoniously on the floor and turned to Akira and Hotaru, who were using fire and ice in turn to burn away vines.

One of the vines pinned Hotaru to the ground. Another was poised above him. Akira turned to cut it and was thrown several feet away by another. Sasuke was still shivering, transfixed by the blood spreading from Okuni and Yuya. He tore his sight away and saw the vine dart down towards Hotaru. Suddenly he was directly in front of what had been Kotaro, between all the vines and blood. Staring at his eyes, he saw no familiarity.

It was then that Shibien tasted the blood of the forest Kenyo.

**Hope you enjoyed. Lots of angst to come in later chapters. I'll update ASAP, but I'm kinda lazy. x33 And procrastinatey. Still, I can procrastinate homework with this, so it'll get done quicker!**


	2. Death's Curse

**You remember in the previous chapter, the lines:**

**"I slept in a tree last night; I'm tired."**

**"You always sleep in trees, Sasuke-kun."**

**"Yes, but when Yukimura decides to climb up with you and keeps falling out, you don't get much slee-"**

**Well, these lines amused my dear friend Vampy and she wrote a prequel to my plot involving what had happened the previous night! x3**

**Srsly. It rules. Go read it. Title of "Trees Are Bad Beds Specially When Yukimura Is Near". xD**

**Anyway... Second Chapter:D And hope you all enjoy and pleasedon'tkillme. 3**

_Chapter 2_

Shibien shivered, coated in crimson. Action seemed to halt for a moment as everyone turned to look at Sasuke, who in turn was staring at Kotaro. His friend's deformed face seemed to smile for a moment; then his eyes dulled and his head fell back.

Sasuke stared. One hand crept out to touch the side of his dead friend's face. "Kotaro..."

Benitora suddenly realised that the vines around him had loosened, and ran to Yuya's unmoving body, staring in horror. "Y-Yuya-han...!"

He felt Akira's hand on his shoulder and span to face him. "Akira-han... You can help her..."

There was a pause, and Akira shook his head. "I'm sorry. Her aura is gone. There's nothing left."

Tora stared at him. Akira could feel his usually steady frame shivering beneath his hand. For a moment Hotaru, watching the two, thought Benitora would hit the blind man; but all that happened was that he turned his head down. Hotaru watched in surprise as Akira briefly embraced the taller man, and Benitora clung to him like a child.

A cry of pain broke the sudden stillness after the battle, and everyone's attention was drawn back to Sasuke in time to see a glowing green seed fly out of Kotaro's chest. It struck Sasuke squarely in the stomach and he flew backwards, hitting the ground with a thud.

Yukimura turned and ran towards him, followed closely by Saizo. At that moment there was a thud, and the man with the bandana and long hair was once again slammed into a tree by a vine. Sanada Yukimura stared as the vines sprang into action once more, and the battle resumed.

He turned and continued to run towards Sasuke, evading the vines as he went. "Sasuke!" The boy was unmoving and the dread grew in Yukimura's heart. He dived underneath a flailing vine and picked up Sasuke's wrist, pressing his slender fingers to it. His heart leapt as he felt the steady pulse.

He looked up as it struck him that something was wrong. The moment he had touched Sasuke, the vines had stopped attacking him. Saizo was across the clearing, defending the unconscious Kyo; The vines had wrapped around Akira and Benitora, and Hotaru was attacking with fire whilst Akira froze and shattered each vine in turn.

He looked back at Sasuke and pulled his shirt up, running a hand over where the seed had hit him. There was no mark, but as he touched the point, a soft green glow began to appear on the Juyushi's skin. Sasuke's eyes shot open and he grabbed the man's wrist. "Yukimura!"

"Sasuke..." Yukimura watched as the boy's eyes flickered closed again. He glanced around the clearing. Akira and Benitora were freed of the vines; they and Hotaru were helping Saizo to defend Kyo, who was still lying against a tree with the marks of the vine on his chest.

Carefully lifting Sasuke, Yukimura paused, then disappeared into the trees. Saizo stared after him for a second, then turned to cut down another vine heading for Kyo.

"Akira!"

Akira span in surprise at the sound of Kyo's voice. A vine was wrapping around Kyo's middle from beneath. The blind man pressed a hand to the vine and froze it solid, then with a quick blow from the palm of his hand shattered it into pieces.

Kyo was staring over Akira's shoulder. Akira span, then quickly threw his hands out, creating a dome of ice to stop the vines reaching him and his old ally. He spun, raising spikes of ice from the ground in a great circle around him and Kyo. Eventually the sounds of the vines stopped, cut off by the ice, and all Kyo could see were the vague outlines of green outside.

"Akira! Akira! Kyo!" Hotaru's voice sounded frantically, muffled behind the ice. Kyo attempted to stand, but fell back, one hand pressed to his chest. Akira put a hand on his shoulder, murmuring "Stay still." He turned and walked to the edge of the ice, pressing his hand against it. "We're okay, Hotaru-san."

There was a pause. Fire illuminated the ice for a moment. Akira felt the heat and frowned. "More vines?"

"There are so many. They just keep coming. I can't see where they're coming fr-" There was a yelp and another burst of flames.

"Listen; You, Saizo and Tora-san get out of here." Akira turned back to Kyo. "We will find you later."

"But..."

There were muffled voices behind the ice. Finally Kyo saw Hotaru's vague, blurry outline nod. "Yes. We'll meet up later." There were three sets of fast footsteps, then silence.

**Well... that was... a kinda lame end to the chapter. xD The next one's good. x3 At least, I think so. And it really gets interesting around Chapter 4! Have fun reading now.**


	3. Just Sleeping

**Thanks for the reviews, everyone! **

**And thanks to Vampy for the first review, and for reminding me to write. Otherwise it'd never get done. xD**

**Anyway. Third Chapter. Hope you like; I do. x3**

_Chapter 3:_

A strange scene in the forest of Aokigahara...

Vines surround a small clearing between a few small, dead trees. Light flickers through small gaps between them, streams of sun-dust dancing down to the mossy ground.

From a distance it looks quite peaceful. But closer, it becomes apparent that the trees are merely stripped of their leaves, giving them their wintery appearance. The score marks from the vines show that they are still green and growing inside the bark; not dead at all. The vines seem to be pulsing slightly; and there are splashes of different colours among the green. One is a dead bird, vines tightened around its neck; another a squirrel, and the vines nearby are stained with blood. Many varieties of creature were scattered on the floor, life stolen by the swaying mass of green.

In the centre of this, however, two beings lie completely unharmed, light flickering over them from the canopy of tendrils above. One is a small boy; lying on his back, silvery-blue hair moving slightly over his face in the faint wind. His eyes are closed; there are bloodstained bandages tied around his middle, and several scratches on his face and hands. A faint green glow shows through the material of his shirt, flickering through the fingers of the other person lying beside him.

Yukimura's eyes were open; he was lying on his side, watching Sasuke sleep. One hand was resting lightly on the boy; the other was on the ground beneath his head, hidden by his own black hair. His gaze remained on the boy's face and he moved his hand up to trace a long scratch on Sasuke's cheek with one finger. _It's healing..._

The plants moved threateningly and he quickly pressed his palm to the boy's cheek. They quietened, but Sasuke shifted in his sleep, head turning a little towards Yukimura, who paused. But Sasuke merely sighed softly and continued sleeping.

Yukimura turned his head upwards, watching the light stream through the vines.

Everything was so silent.

Perhaps too silent.

Even the air had stopped.

Sasuke sighed quietly again, and the vines shifted as the breeze returned. But Yukimura remained alert; senses concentrated on a faint presence beyond the wall of vines...

And the silence was broken as a figure leapt through a gap in the relaxed vines, a streak of red and black among the green. Saizo landed inside the wall of vines, straightened, and looked over to Yukimura and Sasuke. "Yukimura-sama!"

"Saizo, look -"

Saizo leapt over a vine as it lashed out at his legs. In moments the tranquil plant had turned into a vicious killing machine, intent on thrashing the life from this new being. Yukimura sat up, his hand still on Sasuke, who had not moved. "Saizo!"

Saizo glanced over his shoulder, only to be seized round the middle by a vine. He cried out in pain and struggled, trying to draw his sword; the plant, becoming aware of new sharp object, threw him across the clearing.

He landed near Yukimura, who seized his wrist and pulled his hand towards him, pressing it to Sasuke's arm. Almost instantly the plant calmed, and reformed the thin intertwining wall around the clearing; and the only sound was Saizo's pained breathing. Yukimura looked at him. "Saizo...?"

Saizo paused for a few moments, one hand pressed to his ribs, then spoke. "Yukimura-sama. The others have reformed at a small camp, a while from here. They await your return."

Both sets of eyes were on the sleeping Sasuke. As if aware of the attention, he shifted and murmured. Saizo looked up. "Yukimura-sama...?"

Yukimura glanced up to acknowledge him, then back to Sasuke.

"Is... Sasuke going to be okay?"

Yukimura looked up fully this time, slightly surprised. He saw the concern in Saizo's eyes as he looked at the small boy and was again reminded of the strong bond between his Jyuuyuushi. And it warmed his heart.

He nodded once, hair falling to partly hide his face. "Yes. The plant is healing him." He moved one hand to run it over the green glow coming from Sasuke. "In a while he will be good as new. But... Where he goes, the plant will come... To find the others... we would have to leave him here."

Eventually, Saizo nodded. "You're sure he would be okay, Yukimura-sama?"

There was a pause. "Positive."

"Then we should return swiftly to Benitora-san and Hotaru-san."

They nodded and looked up at the vines. "On the count of three..." Yukimura murmured.

"Ichi... ni... san!"

The moment their hands left Sasuke the vines burst into life; but a few moments later, there was no trace that the other two had ever been there...

...apart from a faint scent of sake in the air.

- - -

Saizo landed in the clearing in a crouch, Yukimura appearing beside him a second later. Benitora looked up from the fire flickering between Hotaru's fingers, then stood. Hotaru followed his lead, snuffing the fire.

Saizo straightened. Benitora looked between him and his master. "Where's the brat?"

Saizo glanced at Yukimura. Yukimura didn't look round, but the Jyuuyushi knew that he was thinking. Surely if they told Benitora and Hotaru that Sasuke was now the 'host' of the plant, they would want to find him... and what would it take to separate the plant from Sasuke?

Saizo was drawn out of his thoughts by a vine smacking him directly in the side. He fell over in surprise, holding his side as pain shot once more through his ribs, and looked up in time to see Yukimura pin the vine to the ground with his sword.

Their eyes met and they were thinking the exact same thing: _Sasuke?_

Benitora had pinned another with his HokuRakuShimon. "They're still hanging around, even after Kotaro died." Hotaru walked forwards and put a hand down, setting light to the end of the vine. It shriveled up, thrashing violently, then went black and still.

Benitora continued. "We've got this theory here... There's still one big thing somewhere, like the heart of the vine." Saizo glanced at Yukimura, who continued to look at Benitora. "And there are all these smaller vines everywhere." Benitora pointed to a thin vine on the floor, which wasn't attacking, and was wriggling along the floor like a snake and following another.

Hotaru watched them. "We think that if we follow these, we'll find something," he contributed unhelpfully.

"And that something - if we defeat it - could stop the vines," continued Benitora.

Saizo looked doubtful. He was more surprised when Yukimura commented, "That sounds like a plan. So let's go!"

Hotaru nodded and set off after the smaller vines, followed by Yukimura and Benitora. After a pause, Saizo stood and ran after them.

**What an uneventful end to the chapter. I like the end of chapter 4 a lot better. Still, the beginning of this chapter was rather sweet, nya? x3**

**Poke me to write more, else I won't get round to it. ; I do a lot of drawing, and I have my French GCSEs soon. xD**

**Thanks for all the hits and reviews though:D I really appreciate them!**


	4. Walls

**Hey everyone! Chapter 4 here. x3 Hope you like. Sorry for not updating for so long. Do poke me when that happens, won't you?**

Chapter 4: Walls 

Sasuke awoke to the faint rustling of the vines around him, the sunlight flickering across his pale cheeks. His eyes opened slowly and he blinked, confused, at the shades of green surrounding him. "What...?"

The vines shifted a little as he sat up, rubbing a hand lightly across his eyes, then looking down at his stomach. A vague green glow was dying under his shirt. As he pulled the cloth away, he saw the faint outline of a green swirl fading into his skin.

He ran a hand across it curiously; and his mouth opened a little at a small smudge of red on the back of his hand. He raised it to his face, looking at it, then inhaling sharply as the coppery smell crept up his nostrils. Dropping his hand and staring around, blood covered the floor, and there were patches of red on his clothing.

And a scrap of patterned material on the floor.

He picked it up. Eyes widened as the scent of sake mixed with that of blood. Head snapping up, he stared wildly at the splashes of crimson on the emerald vines, breathing fast and panicked. _What... What's happened?!_

He stood, walking forwards to the vines and holding a hand out as if to push them aside. They moved at his very whim, before he had even touched them. He stopped dead. _Are they... under my control...?_

This thought led to another and he dropped to his knees. _Did they... did I... _His hands rose and ran through his hair, gripping it tightly. _Yukimura..._

Unable to stay in this place a moment longer, he stood and vanished in a flash through the hole in the vines.

And a moment later, the plant followed.

- - -

Pushing aside some foliage, Yukimura ducked under a branch and looked up at the ancient stone archway. "Heh... who'd have known." He stepped aside so the others could come through. Benitora and Hotaru ducked through behind him, Saizo following last.

Hotaru looked up at it. "Big," he commented.

Benitora looked at him. "Big? Huh. I've seen bigger." He walked over and kicked one corner of the crumbling stone. "Unimpressive, I'd say."

"Ahh, things aren't always as they seem," Yukimura replied, walking up to the arch and running his hands over the stone that blocked it. Saizo sighed quietly, not knowing how on earth Yukimura managed to keep such a cheerful tone at a time like this.

The Sanada turned to glance over his shoulder. "Something wrong, Saizo?"

Saizo looked up, a little startled. "N-no. Nothing, Yukimura-sama."

"Okay." Yukimura turned back to the door. "Ahh... " He ran slender fingers over a slightly raised stone, then pressed it into the door.

At once, a section of stone slightly above and to the right of Yukimura's other hand slid smoothly aside, revealing a small, rounded bottle full of a strangely bright liquid.

"Aha!" Yukimura exclaimed brightly, putting a hand into the gap and removing the bottle. The second he did so, the stone slid from beneath his feet and he fell with a splash into what looked to be a small pool with a yelp of surprise.

Saizo moved forwards quickly, leaning down and shoving his arms into the water to drag him back out. "Yukimura-sama!"

Yukimura spluttered, holding onto Saizo as he was pulled out. "Aaah, that's cold!" He leant back against Saizo to inspect the bottle, ignoring Saizo's slight objections.

"Yukimura, what is that?" inquired Hotaru, leaning down for a closer look at the blue liquid.

"If I'm not mistaken, some kind of antidote," remarked Yukimura, shaking it a little and watching it swirl.

"How do you know that?" Hotaru asked curiously.

Yukimura pointed. "Markings on the door. I can more or less read them."

"Ahh..."

Benitora had been inspecting the pool while the others talked. "Hey, it's a tunnel," he commented.

Yukimura stood up and went to stand beside him, leaning down with his hands on his knees. "So it is. Looks like the entrance. Well; Seeya in a minute!" He dived in with a splash.

Saizo stared, then sweatdropped, putting a hand to his temple. "Yukimura-sama..." He sighed, then dived in after his master. Hotaru, after a vaguely annoyed glare at the water - aqua not being his favourite element - followed them. Benitora jumped in last.

After a fair few twists and turns, Yukimura surfaced through a small gap in a stone floor, taking a huge breath. "Phew!"

He moved aside a little as Saizo surfaced next to him, gasping for air. The Sanada laughed and pulled himself out, then offered an arm to the dripping Saizo and tugged him out after himself.

Hotaru surfaced a few seconds later, pulling a face. "Ugh..." Yukimura and Saizo took an arm each and pulled him from the water. He leant against the wall, waiting for Benitora to follow.

Waiting.

Waiting...

Yukimura frowned and stepped forwards, kneeling by the pool and looking into it. "He followed directly after you, Hotaru?"

The vacant man nodded. "Hai."

Yukimura frowned, a small crease between his eyebrows. "Maybe I should -"

Saizo pointed into the water. "Someone's coming now."

Hotaru's mouth opened a little, crouching by the pool. "That's not 'Tora."

"Huh?"

A ripple broke the surface of the water, then Akira's head. He took a breath, pulling someone up beside him, then said "Someone take Benitora-san, quickly."

Saizo and Hotaru grabbed the unconscious man under each shoulder and dragged him onto the stone floor. Yukimura helped Akira out of the pool. "What happened?"

Akira shook water droplets from his hair. "I found him unconscious at the bottom of the pool, and-"

"He's not breathing!"

Akira moved forwards quickly, pressing two fingers to Benitora's wrist. "Pulse." He lowered his ear to Benitora's mouth, listening, then tilted his head back and took a short breath, closing his nose and pressing his lips to 'Tora's, inflating his lungs. Hotaru, Saizo and Yukimura watched tensely.

Eventually his chest heaved, and he turned his head, coughing weakly. Akira sat back with a quiet sigh of relief while Yukimura moved forwards and propped his head up. "Tora-san, what happened?"

His face was pale, breathing shallow. "No idea..." The crease on Yukimura's brow reappeared as Benitora's head fell to one side.

Hotaru reached out and tugged a small dart from his arm, handing it to Yukimura. "Look."

He took it, looking at it closely, then turned back as Benitora's eyes began to close. "No, Tora-san, stay awake." He put a hand to the side of his face, tilting it upwards, and his eyes opened again.

"Ugh... wh-what is this..." he mumbled, a slight tremor running through his body.

Yukimura felt it and frowned in alarm. He took the dart, pulled the bottle of liquid from his pocket and refilled it. However, after he had done so, the bottle slipped from his damp hands and smashed on the floor. Yukimura cursed at his own clumsiness, shaking droplets from his hand.

Benitora hadn't reacted to the crash or the cursing. His eyes were closing again and he shook more violently. Yukimura turned his arm and pressed the dart into the crook of his elbow at an angle, pressing the liquid into his bloodstream. 'Tora tensed, then slowly exhaled, relaxing. His eyes opened again.

Saizo realised he had been holding his breath and let it out quickly. Yukimura glanced round at the three. "All okay?"

They nodded. Benitora began to sit up, and Yukimura continued to support him with an arm. "Go careful, Tora-san."

He put a hand to his head. "Guessing that was some kinda poison?" he grunted, rubbing his temples, then standing. Yukimura stood with him, noting he was a little unsteady. Akira stepped forwards. "Hai. You're lucky Yukimura-san had that antidote."

"Guess I am, huh?" He grinned a little. "Guess I owe you one, Yukimura-han."

"It's nothing, my dear Tora-san." Yukimura looked around. Once again, Saizo was amazed at how unfazed he seemed by the whole episode. Especially since he hadn't had any sake for a fair while now.

The Sanada walked across the room, looking about. Vines covered the stone walls; but these were old and brown, shriveled into crevices. The ceiling was high, and there were chunks of rock on the floor where parts of it had fallen and smashed.

A bright green line on the floor caught Hotaru's eye and he pointed after the vine. "Maaah," he contributed, to attract attention.

Yukimura followed his point. "Aha... " He followed the vine quietly across the room, watched as it disappeared into a small hole, then looked up at the large door. It was wooden; he was surprised it hadn't rotted away. He gave it a quick push to see if it would cave in. There was moss covering most of it, but it held steady.

He ran his hands across it curiously, then down the edge. Upon finding nothing, he turned to the stone beside the door; and a smile grew on his face as he found another slightly raised stone; this one rounded. "Aha..."

He was about to push it when Saizo appeared beside him. "Yukimura-sama."

"What is it, Saizo?" Yukimura turned to look at him, hand still on the stone.

"I think I should open this door," Saizo said, moving his hand off the stone. "Something could happen. I feel it would not be safe for you to open it."

Yukimura raised an eyebrow. "Saizo, I feel you're being a little paranoid... But, if it keeps you happy." He laughed, stepping back from the door. "Move back, everyone."

Saizo waited until everyone was at least a few feet from the door, then reached out, pressed the stone into the wall and stepped back. The door began to open and he glanced back at Yukimura.

The Sanada smiled at him, watching the door open. "See? Nothing bad happ-"

As the door opened fully, there was a strange noise from the other side. Yukimura frowned slightly. "What..."

Saizo turned back just in time for a large, barbed arrow to hit him in the chest.

- - -

**... Please don't kill me. **


	5. So Many Tears

**Whew! A whole year since I last updated?! I'm so sorry! ;;**

**Let's get on with it, then!**

- - -

_Tap, tap, tap..._

The sandals of the young ninja made a quiet noise on the paving as he walked. _Tap, tap, tap._ His feet and the top of his head were lit by the sparse sunlight that filtered through the broken stone ceiling of this ancient building. Behind him, not unnoticed but ignored for now, trailed several long green vines, submissive as dogs. It seemed impossible that they could turn to vicious killers in seconds. Sasuke sank into his own thoughts as he walked. It seemed also impossible that these... things... were the remains of his dead friend, somehow attached now to his own life...

He shook his head and looked around, shaking a droplet of water from the hair that was plastered over his forehead. Before climbing out of the pool, he had noted the puddle of water where the others had climbed out, and how their damp footsteps had trailed off down the passage to the left. The other was blocked off by a mass of mossy stones, which had fallen presumably from the ceiling.

His eyes lit up at the sight of a doorway just ahead of him. Pressing forwards, he heard a murmur of voices; that was Saizo, and that Yukimura...

He broke into a run, entering the room in time to hear a dull thud. Frowning, he looked around to see what it could have been, before dismissing it as falling rocks and running forwards to greet the others across the vast room. "Yukimu-"

The look on Yukimura's face stopped him in his tracks, and he followed his master's gaze to Saizo, who was standing in front of an open, heavy wooden door. Everyone in the room - Yukimura, Hotaru, Akira, Benitora - was staring at the man with the long black hair and purple bandana with strange expressions on their face. Sasuke couldn't understand why they were looking at Saizo like that. Why were they looking at Saizo like that?

After a moment, Benitora broke the frozen silence with an exclamation at the sight of Sasuke. Yukimura looked up; even Saizo's head snapped round. Then, as if the silence had been holding him up, he crumpled sideways to the floor; and Sasuke's face matched that of the others as he saw the arrow protruding from Saizo's chest.

"Saizo - Saizo!?" He ran forwards. Saizo was shaking; blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.

"Sa-Sasu..." More coppery liquid flowed from his lips, adding to the dark stain that was spreading across his torso.

"No, no, no..." Sasuke's small hands moved helplessly across his comrade's chest, fingertips and palms turning red. He grasped the arrow and pulled at it with a frantic desperation. Saizo gasped in pain, his own, faltering hands finding Sasuke's. "Ow, ow..."

Sasuke stopped. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I'm sorry..."

Saizo laughed weakly, choking on more of his own blood. "What for? I - I am fine - " He raised his head, then his torso, in an attempt to sit up.

Sasuke slid an arm under his shoulders as way of support. "Saizo, please..." The older man's lips were turning blue. He turned desperately to the others, still frozen in place. "What's happening now?!"

Nobody seemed able to speak, least of all Yukimura, to whom Sasuke had automatically looked when asking the question. After a moment Hotaru spoke. "It looks like poison."

"Then use the antidote!" yelled Sasuke, feeling tears prick his eyes. Saizo grasped his sleeve as his head fell back and Sasuke moved his support, resting Saizo's head against his shoulder. "It's fine. You're fine, Saizo. Don't you dare... You better not..."

"We... we used it on Tora-san," whispered Akira. "Yukimura dropped the rest."

Sasuke turned to look at Yukimura, who didn't take his eyes off Saizo. Yukimura's face was so pale that he might as well have been turned to ice. Sasuke couldn't understand. Why wasn't anyone _doing_ anything? He refused to accept what was staring him in the face and shut his eyes tightly to stem the tears, ducking his head to hide the ones that escaped down his cheeks.

A horrifying, rattling cough from Saizo opened his eyes again. Saizo wasn't making any attempt to sit up any more; he was slumped back against Sasuke, one hand holding the shaft of the arrow. Before Sasuke could stop him, he had pulled it out and dropped it to the floor.

Gore dripped from the barbs on the tip of the arrow, and blood spurted uncontrollably from the wound in his chest. The crimson puddle spread dramatically around Sasuke and Saizo. Akira retched and had to turn away.

Saizo's breathing was shallow, and getting shallower all the while, despite Sasuke's desperate pleading. His eyes met Saizo's and the latter gave him a weak grin. "H-hey. Shouldn't you... be... worrying about... those things?" He pointed to the vines, which had decided to make an appearance and were wrapping round Hotaru's ankle. Hotaru broke out of the silence with an exclamation and threw a small flame at one vine. Akira and Benitora joined him; after a moment, Yukimura tore his eyes from Saizo and joined them.

Sasuke shook his head fiercely. "Come on. Let's get out of this place already!" He tried to lift Saizo, who protested feebly. "Don't... please."

Sasuke put him back down. "Come on, Saizo." The tears ran again. "Please."

Saizo shook his head. He opened his mouth, and Sasuke had to lower his head to hear him; Saizo's voice was less than a whisper. "You... you take care of yourself..." His eyes closed and his head tilted to one side.

"NO!"

Someone took hold of Sasuke's arm. Looking around wildly, he saw Yukimura. "Sasuke, we have to get out of here! Now!"

"I'm not leaving Saizo!"

"Sasuke, you have to!" Yukimura was yelling too. For the first time Sasuke noticed the tears that streaked Yukimura's cheeks. The Sanada's voice fell. "Sasuke, there's nothing else you can do for him."

Sasuke shut his eyes. Then he shook his head stubbornly. Yukimura's face set, more tears falling down his face. He bent down and picked Sasuke up round the middle, then ran out of the room where the vines were still attacking the others, ignoring the kicks and yells from his youngest Juyushi. And the tears fell solidly from both sets of eyes.

---

**I don't think this chapter is very good. D8 It's basically a death chapter. c I haven't written for so long. I got out of practice. TwT;**


	6. The Door Closes

**Oh, goodness! It /HAS/ been almost a year again! T.T I am so sorry, everyone. I can't believe some of you are still waiting for another chapter... Well. Here it is. I hope I haven't got out of practice of writing since. x3**

**Oh well. Roll on the angst.**

- - -

The wooden door slammed behind them with absolute finality at Yukimura's shove. As soon as he was set down, Sasuke ran at it, pounding it with small fists.

"Open it again! Open it now!"

Yukimura shook his head.

"Open it now, you bastard! How can you do that?!"

Around them, scenes of violence continued. Although most vines had been trapped in the previous rooms, they were beginning to make their way through previously unseen cracks in the otherwise solid walls. Hotaru was pinned down by several long creepers, two of which seemed intent on taking out his eyes, and would have done so already were it not for Akira's barrier of ice protecting Hotaru's face. Benitora was slashing at the vines with his spear and an intense glare on his face, concentrating on nothing but cutting the foliage to pieces.

Yukimura took Sasuke's arm. The smaller ninja shook his hand away furiously. "Don't you touch me!"

"Sasuke, please -"

"I mean it!"

Their eyes locked; one set amber, furious, with slit pupils, and the other a soft blue, filled with the unnatural harshness of pain. Then Sasuke tore his gaze away; with a cry, he launched himself at the nearest vine. It slipped away before he could reach it, and retreated to the other side of the vast room they had found themselves in past the wooden door. There it paused, as though watching; waiting, waiting. Waiting for its master to direct its next move.

Sasuke turned to look at Yukimura. The Sanada just stared, sadly brushing a vine from his arm, only to have another wrap itself around his ankle. All the fight had vanished from his expression.  
And Sasuke couldn't bear it.

He ran. Down the centre of the room, vines writhing away to each side like frantic snakes to avoid his feet. He ran towards the next door; it was smaller, already slightly open. Sasuke could see nothing but darkness inside.

He pulled it open. Half of him expected to be hit with an arrow, and die as Saizo had done moments before. But there was no arrow; and so the small boy pitched himself into the darkness, running until he hit the opposite wall and crumpled to the floor, breath knocked out of him.

The door was still open. He could hear Yukimura's voice, frantically calling for him.

"Sasuke!"

"Sasuke! Come back!"

"_Please,_ Sasuke!"

He couldn't bear it. A green glow appeared beneath his clothes. Closing his eyes, he saw the vines; saw them hesitate in their attack and turn to face him. He summoned them. And they came; he saw them pouring into the room in which he lay, and saw Yukimura's eyes, so blue and so afraid, through the crack still left in the door.

"SASUKE!"

The door closed.

- - -

**I've lost the plot for the rest of this. ;w;**

**I can more or less remember it, but I'm making parts up now. xD**

**I just had a plotbunny, though. :3 So I think I'm gonna try to finish this today. I'd leave it for a while between chapters, but 'a while' would probably turn into another year. xD**

**Keep reading! Please tell me what you think of it! x3**

**-Froggy**


	7. In Darkness

**Oh, more angst :3**

- - -

He lay in darkness.

The vines were woven around him. There was no light in the small room; but if there had been, it would have been completely erased. This wall, concealed in darkness, blocked out all sound. Even if he pressed his ear to the floor, he could not hear the others.

He presumed the vines had stopped attacking, outside, in the room between him and Saizo. He had summoned all of them, after all.

Hands slowly balled into fists over silver hair. He had summoned them.

How?

A friend's dying gift, perhaps.

The tears flowed anew as recent events tore through his mind once more. It was too much. Covering his face with his hands, Sasuke curled his knees to his chest, and let the sobs wrack his small frame. The vines moved in rhythm with his cries, rustling softly as they shifted side to side.

It could have lasted hours. Or, it could only have been a matter of seconds. Time erased itself in Sasuke's claustrophobic refuge. After a time he lifted his head; eyes had run dry, and he was exhausted from crying. Still the vines shifted softly, and still this was the only noise he heard. He was left to wonder, eventually, what would happen next. Staying here seemed the most logical choice.

_He wondered if the others had left yet._

What would happen when he finally passed on? Would the vines seek another, or would they simply die, lying motionless around the body of the young child for all eternity?

_And Saizo was still lying, alone and cold, in the middle of that echoing stone fortress._

The vines shifted restlessly. Sasuke, absently, reached out to the wall. It parted at his touch. To his surprise, light filtered through the gaps in his fingers.

_But the room had been dark..._

Now that the wall had been broken, sounds reached his ears. There was a violent hissing, frequent thuds - now and then, a familiar gasp of pain.

_Yukimura?!_

A hand gripped his own, and at once the vines ceased their movements. As if commanded, they slid to the floor and retreated to the sides of the room. In a few moments, the only sound was Yukimura's harsh breathing.

Sasuke's hands reached out of their own accord, trembling as they found wounds in the dull light, which had somehow found its way through the now open door. A cut on his forehead... some scratches on his forearms, a nasty cut on his shoulder... Sasuke heard Yukimura's hiss of pain as he ran his hands over it, and moved them away. Then he drew his hands back, Yukimura keeping a light touch on his wrists to prevent the vines from attacking again.

"Why?"

It was less than a whisper, but the question echoed around the small room like a cry of pain.

Yukimura did not answer for several minutes. Eventually he looked up at Sasuke, from examining his hands. "I couldn't -"

His voice caught, and he had to stop for a moment.Then the Sanada took a breath.

"I can't lose both of you."

Sasuke's hand crept out and caught Yukimura's. The gesture caught Yukimura by surprise; he simply stared at Sasuke for several moments, and then broke down in tears. Master and Jyuuyuushi sat in darkness for several minutes while the tears fell; and all the while, the vines moved restlessly in the dark corners of stone, and waited.

- - -

**... That sucked. ;w; I can't write angst. It's so corny. D:  
Um. Just... Sasuke's little emo fit there. You can't really begrudge it him. shrug xD**


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